1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a display comprising pixels and dots, as well as a method for controlling the display.
2. Related Art
In known displays of the kind used in video, film and computer technology, so-called pixels are arranged along horizontally and/or vertically extending lines. The pixels generally consist of so-called dots representing the three basic colours red, green and blue. Dots are sources of luminous radiation the light of which is mixed to generate luminous mixed colours in a process referred to as additive mixing.
In computer monitors and television receivers the display is divided into a plurality of pixels arranged on a fixed grid or raster. Each pixel is controlled individually, with the pixels addressed from left to rightand from the top to the bottom, for instance, as is customary practice for CRT screens.
EP 0 637 009 A2 discloses a method of controlling active LCD displays in which the dots are arranged in a mutually offset pattern to form a delta shape, with the dots of each colour group vertically interconnected by control line. Horizontal control is effected pixel-wise, meaning that the three dots of each RGB pixel are addressed at the same time. Further, each dot comprises a memory element and a switching element, whereby RGB data can be transmitted using synchronizing information, as is the case in conventional monitors, for example.
DE 36 06 404 A1 discloses a method of generating picture elements on a colour display, as well as a colour display. The method uses a light gate array of which the light gates are addressable individually by means of control circuitry in such a manner that the desired colour itensity is obtained by controlling the transmission properties of the respective light gate. Light sources are disposed behind the light gate to provide at least two primary colours and are switched in alternating light cycles at a repetition rate of at least 25 Hz, with the light gates being controlled synchronously therewith. Because of the inertia of the human eye, it is possible for a gate to display the desired colour.
One drawback of this kind of display is that the number of pixels is limited by the fixed grid, which limits the resolution and the picture sharpness as well. The finer the grid, the higher the resolution. The fineness of the grid itself is limited by manufacturing technology, however, because the cathode ray tubes that are used for the displays comprise so-called shadow masks having holes therein which cannot be reduced to what-ever size unless one puts up with considerable expenditures.
Likewise, in LCD displays, the integration of a great number of transistors is extremely expensive and very prone to produce major amounts of rejects.
In LED displays, the placement of the LEDs is complicated and expensive as their space demand is predetermined by their shape.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a display of the aforesaid kind which has a higher optical resolution for a given grid.
The above object is achieved by a variable generation of pixels from existing dots, said pixels forming a dynamically generated logical unit by grouping adjacent dots so that adjacent pixels are physically superimposed. In the process, the generation of the dynamic pixels takes place at a rate high enough not to be perceivable by the human eye.
A dynamic pixel is supposed to consist of at least as many dots that it comprises all the basic colours given by those dots.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method which enables an enhanced resolution to be obtained for dot-addressed displays.
This object is achieved specifically by a dynamic generation of pixels wherein a one-pixel logical unit is formed by grouping adjacent dots, with adjacent pixels being physically superimposed and the dynamic pixels being generated by sequential addressing at a rate such that said generation is not perceivable by the human eye.
When selected to be assembled into a group, the dots are chosen so that adjacent pixels overlap partly only. As a result, another dynamic pixel will be formed between existing, normally static pixels. The pixels are combined in a manner such as to comprise all basic colours provided by the dots.
Further advantageous measures are described in the dependent claims. The invention is shown in the attached drawings and is described hereinafter in greater detail.